COLTIN, YOU’RE UP
Senior Coltin Gerhart gets the start at quarterback for the Lobos on Saturday vs. San Diego State
For six weeks, New Mexico quarterback Coltin Gerhart did his best to remain positive and stay on top of his game as he dealt with a sprained right foot.
There were moments where everything felt stagnant and he couldn’t do anything to feed the hunger to play football. However, his opportunity came in a blowout loss Saturday, and he did enough to be named the starter for the upcoming week.
“It’s just been a long, long road,” said Gerhart, a redshirt senior quarterback who began the season as the second-stringer. “I prayed every night thinking that eventually this day would come and now the time is here. Might as well do something with it.”
Gerhart will attempt to do something with the starting gig for the Lobos (3-5, 1-3 in Mountain West Conference), who are mired in a three-game losing skid entering their game against visiting San Diego State (6-2, 3-1).
UNM coach Bob Davie said he realizes that Gerhart faced mostly Utah State’s backups, but that he played well and clean, aside from throwing an interception.
Gerhart is taking over for junior transfer Sheriron Jones, who entered the season as the No. 3 quarterback. Jones threw three interceptions against the Aggies, including one that was returned 100 yards for a touchdown.
“Even though Coltin hasn’t played a lot, he’s played enough that the decision for us (Sunday) afternoon after looking at it was he gives us the best chance to win right now,” Davie said after Monday’s practice. “With that said Sheriron is still in the mix, obviously. But the bottom line is the turnovers and the mistakes and the self-inflicted piece of it, we just feel that Coltin gives us a better chance just right now, particularly against (San Diego State’s) defense, to operate.”
Gerhart threw for 110 yards and a touchdown on 8-of-12 passing in the second half of the Lobos’ 61-19 loss.
He last started for the Lobos against Tulsa, Sept. 23 of last year, when he ran for 156 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in a 16-13 win. That was when UNM played in the triple-option. It has since gone to the spread, but Davie has been wanting to keep at least 35 percent of triple-option in the offense. That hasn’t happened because of injuries at quarterback position, he has said.
Gerhart suffered a foot sprain during the Lobos’ season-opening, 62-30 win over Incarnate Word on Sept. 1.
“I just think we need to take what we’re given from the defenses,” Gerhart said. “Defensively, I think we’re going to be revitalized this week. As a team, we’re just going to have keep pushing. I just think we need that little bit of a spark to get us going.”
The Lobos did not practice on Sunday, as they usually do. Instead, Davie used that time to meet with coaches to re-evaluate everything, including himself, he said.
“I understand clearly that Utah State is ranked No. 18 and Fresno State is ranked No. 20, and deservedly so,” Davie said. “I knew what kind of challenge it was going to be going in. It’s just we can be better. We know we can be better than we put on tape those last two weeks.
Fresno was more of the selfinflicted, not reacting to some negative things that happened in the game. Utah State was just an eyeopener overall, that it could get that bad that quickly. The responsibility starts with me.”